On July 2, 2017 when I visited SAFE Haven, I was originally introduced to a small Calico cat who did everything but climb in my pocket to tell me she wanted to come home with me. While she was doing that, a little gray tabby in a cage just outside our playroom was intently watching everything we did. I asked to see her. The volunteer literally said, “her?” with a tone of incredulity in her voice. She then took the Calico back and came back with another volunteer and a large towel. Carefully, they burrito-ed the tabby and put her in my friend’s lap. The cat sat there for a few minutes then explored every inch of the enclosure. The towel was again necessary to get her into my lap, where she nestled purring and content. I actually had to ease her to the floor to get up and go sign the paperwork. My friend, like the original volunteer, looked at me like I had lost my mind.
Sasha took a couple of weeks to get comfortable in my house, and is still shy around strangers, but she is the most lovingly independent cat around. She still dislikes being picked up. But she is a love bug on her own terms. She snuggles in my lap for long afternoon naps on weekends, and sleeps around my feet at night. She clearly picked me with her beautiful, intelligent eyes and her gentle demeanor. She is my companion and guardian.
She does have a new brother who so wants to be her friend. She is not convinced (yet). She ignores him as much as she can, but growls vigorously at night if she thinks he is bothering me.
I greatly appreciate SAFE Haven and the care taken in helping me find Sasha.
In December of 2015, one of my rescue cats (from another organization) went on, peacefully, to his great Feline Reward. His surviving adopted brother, Arthur (adopted privately from a different and very unfortunate situation—he was shut in a bedroom for over a year, because of allergies developed by someone in the household.) was inconsolable in his grief for his lost feline bro, and several friends recommended that I visit SAFE Haven for Cats.
I visited Safe Haven on January 3, 2016, and met my volunteer adoption counselor, Pat—-she was terrific! I explained that I had a grieving cat at home, and needed to find him a playmate/partner-in-crime. Pat took me through the shelter, and gave me background on each of the felines I met. She was an expert on their current kitties, and she was kind, too.
One of the first cats I met was a handsome grey tuxedo tabby fellow, who was housed in a large enclosure near the front of the shelter. Pat explained that this fellow, Thompkins, was a cat who had been with them for over a year. He really liked other cats, but didn’t like humans very much, and hadn’t found an adoptive home. Pat told me that they regularly put other cats into Thompkins’s large cat condo/cage, for playtime.
After meeting all of the great cats at SAFE Haven, I decided Thompkins and I needed each other. He already liked other cats, and I felt I could teach him to at least tolerate human beings…..I also told Pat it would be OK with me to introduce my two feline buds as “This is my cat Arthur, and this is his friend, Thompkins.” LOL
Thompkins and Arthur were immediate buddies. It took more than a year of my unconditional love and patience for Mr. T to realize that I really DID want to be his buddy. The wait was well worth it!
More than three years later, Thompkins is a great buddy to both me and Arthur. Mr. T has learned that he loves being brushed, and regularly appears for a full rubdown of his back. He’s a terrific cat.
My husband and my daughter ran the SAFE Haven Run for Their Lives 5K in October of 2013. After the race, we were offered refreshments and then ushered through the shelter for a tour. We already had two cats at home, so we were not looking for a cat. But walking through the shelter, there was one big cat playing with his roommate. He seemed so fun! I just had to have him! His name was (Tom) Cruise. We swung by the next day to pick up the 16-pound teddy bear. Five years later, we are best friends.
Cat’s Name: Cruisy
Name While at SAFE Haven: (Tom) Cruise
Owner: Emily Clary
After losing an older cat, I decided I was ready for a kitten. I heard SAFE Haven was having a special adoption event and filled out an application. I went to the shelter and picked two kittens to take to the play area. I was playing with the first one when the volunteer brought me the other one. The second kitten hissed and swatted at the first one. I had already fallen in love with Pierot (now Charlie) so I took him home. He has been a wonderful companion for almost four years now. The picture below is the day I took him home.
Cats’ Names: Charlie and Jack
Name While at SAFE Haven: Pierot (Charlie)
Owner: Deborah Murphy
